Casing-jack.



. WATSON.

cAslNe JACK. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24| |918.

Patented Apr. 22,1919.

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J. H. WATSON. CASING JACK. APPLICATION man SEPT. 24. 1918.

Patented Apr. 22, 1919.

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J. H. WATSON.

CASING JACK.

l APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24. 1918. 1.3019769., Patented Apr. 22,1919.

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i" lll lil JAMES H. WATSN, F BIVERTON, WYOMING.

GASING-JAGK.

rechace.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr.. 22, MMF.

Application led September 24. 1918. Serial No.255,422.

ynew and useful Improvements in Casing- Jacks, of which the following isa specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in power jacks forusepartieularly in well drilling operations.

It may here be explained that owing to the very heavy weight and strainsincident to the handling of well casings or long pipe lines, it isnecessary to provide very substantial rigging, for it is not unusual forcollapses to occur where such precaution is not taken which result ininjury to the casing, the well or to the operators. This becomesunnecessary when the work is carried on by my apparatus, thereby savingconsiderable expense and not only is this true, but in addition myinvention enables the raising and lowering operations to be cared fordirectly by the drilling engine, resulting in the elimination of muchwasted time incident to the changing of the drilling` appliances fromdrilling to casing handling. p

To this end the apparatus 'consists of a suitable support carryingdriving elements having operative connection with a novel type ofjack-screw and provided with a special grip'ping device forming one ofthe important features of my apparatus.

Among other features, may ,also loe mentioned the adaptability of myapparatus for imparting to the casing rotative movement which is oftendesirable in the operation of well drilling.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained bythe novel construction, comb'nation and arrangement of parts to behereinafter specically described and claimed. Reference will now be hadto the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,wherein:

Figure 1 is a View showing the application of the apparatus in positionin relation to the well rigging.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention, parts being broken away andshown in section.

Fig. 3 is atop plan view.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fnagmentary sectional view showing'the head of thejackscrew and its spiral gear path and driving pinions.

Figs. 5 and 6, are top plan and sectional views of the gripper shoe.

Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views of the gripping blocks.

Throughout the following detail description and on the several figuresof the drawings, similar parts are referred to by like referencecharacters.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be observed that theapparatus which forms the subject-matter of this invention is disposedwithin the usual pit provided under the floor of the well rigging whereit is in position to coact with the upper extremity of the well casing.As a suitable support, I provide the lower base 1 which rests upon thebottom of the pit and the upper base 2 carried by the pillars or posts3. Upon this upper base is bolted or otherwise secured the cylindricalcase or column 4 which constitutes the support for the main mechanismhereinafter described. At diametrical points about the upper portion ofthe case 4 are provided a series of bearing sleeves 5 which are mostclearly seen in Fig. 4, each sleeve having journaled therein a shortshaft 6. One of these shafts, namely 6 longer than the others, carriesthe driving sprocket 7 which is driven from the drilling engine in anysuitable manner, as by the chain 8. This shaft 6 referred to is providedwith a large driving bevel gear 9, which meshes with an idler l0 on thenext shaft, the latter meshing with a second driving gear 11 from whichpower is transferred to the third and fourth gears 12 and 13 byintermediate idlers 14 and 15. On the inner end of each of the drivingshafts thus provided is a pinion 16 (see Fig. 4) which meshes with thespiral gear path 17 extending around the jack screw 18 mounted formovement within the case 4. ln addition to this gear path the screw 18is formed with a smooth portion 19 upon which the beveled extremities ofthe shafts operate to sustain the lifting strains or weight and preventinjury to the gearing. A discontinuance of the gearing at the upper andlower terminals of the gear path limits the movements of the screw, aswill be obvious to those skilled in this art.

As a matter of detail of construction, each of the sleeves containsinner and outer brass boxes 20, 21, between which is received theannular flange 22 on the shaft, fortaking up end thrust.

Passing now to thel gripping mechanism by means o which the well casingis positively gripped for raising, for example, it

will be noted in Fig. 2, that the screw 18 has mounted on its top what Iterm for the purpose of convenience, the gripper head, consisting of thecasting23, sustained by the ball and race indicated at 24:, and the eX-pansible and contractible gripping elements more specifically referredto. Upon this casting are provided four levers 25, though of course thenumber may be modified as conditions require, and each o these leverscarries at its outer end a counterbalance weight 26. lIhe levers arepivoted on the casting by pivots 27 which are of special construction asindicated in Fig. 3 inasmuch as they are provided with ball extremitiesreceived between the pairs of clamp connecting members E28, which inturn carry the toggle arms 29 connecting with the pivot pins 30, bymeans of which arrangement 'a simultaneous operation of the grippingslices 31, attached to the ends of the levers 25, is obtained. Theseshoes are somewhat wedgeshaped at their lower ends, as will be seen inFig. 2 and act to force their respective gripping blockorplate,specifically shown in F ig. 7 and 8, against the well casi-ng. Theseblocks are preferably serrated on their inner faces so as to aiiordample gripping action or prevent slipping' and of course' areinterchangeable with blocks of greater or less thickness to take wellcasings of different diameters.

This gripping mechanism just described is vheld on the screw 18 by theadjustable arms 32 and under ordinary conditions remains stationarywhile the screw rotates. It may,fhowever, be so clamped by tighteningthese arms `that it will rotate lwith the screw and thereby rotate thecasing which is oftentimes desirable in placing casings, as hereinbeforesuggested.

A duplicate of this gripper head is mounted on the lower base 1 of thesupport and operates in exactly .the same way, as will be apparent YfromFig. 1, the object in the duplication being to provide forholding thecasing by one of the gripper heads while the other is being' moved foranother grip,- in this manner imparting a step-by-step movement to thecasing when it is raised 'or lowered.

N ow while I have described the apparatus as applicable especially tothe operation or' drilling wells, its principles may be `employed inother types of operations and Ido not wish Vto be limited in thisrespect to that described. It will be appa-rent also that changes may bemade in the details of construction oi' this apparatus without departingfrom the lspirit of the invention and actuating `means yon said standardincluding a driving pinion engaging said fpath -to rotate the screw andthereby raise and lower the screw.

3. In a jpower jack of the class described, the combination of'avsupport or standard, a screw revolubly mounted thereon and having aspiral lgear `path formed about the same,v actuating means mounted onsaid standard including `a driving shaft and a pinion Ithereon meshingwith the gear path aforesaid whereby to raise or lower the screw.

. 4. In a power:jackofwthe'classdescribed, the combinationod? asupporting standard, a screw mounted therein for up and down movementand having a spi-ral gear path formed therein, va driving Vshaft havingdriv ing connection ywith said gear path and a bearing surfacecoperative with the screw adjacent to theV gear Ipath to sustain theweight Vupon ithe screw. n

In a power jack ofthe class described, the combination of a supportingstandard, a screw mounted therein having ian annular gear path, adriving shaft adapted to be driven from a suitable source of lpower andhav-ing a pinion ymeshing with the gear path aforesaid at one side fofthe screw for actuating the same, and separa-te driving means =for said-scr'ew 4arranged 'to be actuated .from thedriying s-aft aforesaidwhereby to distribute the application lof the driving power to thescrew.

In a power jackof 4the class *.described, the combina-tionof asupporting standard, a screw mounted therein having an annular gearrpath, a driving shaft adapted :to be driven from 'a Isuitable source ofpower and havinga pinion-meshing with the gear path aforesaid 'at one-side of the `screw for actuating #the same, and separate `drivinglmeans for said screw compris-ing a series of shafts arranged atdiametrical poi-nts about the screw fand' haring operative connectionwith the =rst mentioned shaft.k j

7. In a power jack of the class described', the combination of a hollowstandard, a screw mounted within -the saine and having its peripheralwall -formed with a spiral gear rack and a smooth bearing surfaceadjacent theret-o, and a driving shaft operable from a suitable sourceof power having a driving pinion at its inner end meshing with the rackand a bearing surface operable on the smooth bearing surface aforesaidfor sustaining the weight placed upon the screw.

8. In a power jack of the class described, the combination of a hollowstandard, a screw mounted within the same and having its peripheral wallformed with a spiral gear rack and a smooth bearing surface adjacentthereto, a driving shaft operable from a suitable source of power havinga driving pinion at its inner end meshing with the rack and a bearingsurface operable on the smooth bearing surface aforesaid for sustainingthe weight placed upon the screw, a series of other shafts arrangedabout the standard certain of which being provided with pinions meshingwith the gearing rack to distribute the driving stresses about thescrew, and bearing supports carried by said standard in which the saidshafts are `j ournaled.

9. In a well casing jack of the cla-ss described, the combination with asupport and jack-screw and means for actuating the same, of grippingmechanism mounted on said screw comprising cxpansible and contractiblegripping devices engageable with the well casing, and manual means foractuating said gripping devices simultaneously.

10. In a well casing jack of theclass described, the combination with asupport and jack-screw and means fcr actuating Jthe same, of grippingmechanism mounted on said screw comprising.' a plurality of grippingelements engage-able with the well casing at opposite sides, manualmeans for actuating each of said elements for effecting engagement ordisengagement thereof, and means establishing inter-connection betweenthe last mentioned means whereby all of said gripping elements may beoperated from any one of the actuating means therefor.

epies of this patent may be obtained for 11. In a well casing jack ofthe class described, the combination with a support and j ack-screw andmeans for actuating the same, of gripping mechanism mounted on the screwconsisting of a gripper head, gripping blocks mounted thereon forengagement with the well casing, and a lever pivotally connected to thehead for imparting gripping action to said blocks.

l2. In a well casing jack of the class described, the combination with asupport and 'jack-screw and means for actuating the same, of grippingmechanism mounted on said screw consisting of a gripper head having acentral opening, interchangeable gripping bloclrs mounted about saidopening for engagement with the well casing when introduced into theopening, actuating shoes upon which the blocks are carried, and manualmeans for actuating said shoes to impart gripping action to the blocksaforesaid.

13. In a well casing jack of the class described, the combination with asupport and jack-screw and means for actuating the same, of grippingmechanism mounted on said screw consisting of a gripper head having acentral opening, interchangeable gripping blocks mounted about saidopening for engagement with the well casing when introduced into theopening, levers pivotally mounted on said head, connecting meansintermediate said levers for actuating all of the same from any onethereof, and means intermediate the blocks and the levers for impartinggripping action to the blocks or releasing the same at will.

14. In a. well casing jack of the class described, the combination witha support and revoluble jack-screw and means for actuating the same, ofa gripper head mounted on said screw, and means adjustable to permit thehead to remain relatively stationary with respect to the screw or movetherewith at will.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

JAMES H. I/VATSON.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or ratent,

Washington, D. C.

